He suspected rabies because he had been bitten by a dog, allegedly owned by a neighbor in the Philippines, in June... When he called home on August 27, he found out that the suspected dog was still alive... Results of a physical examination, which included detailed neurologic tests, were unremarkable except for a subfebrile axillary temperature... Basic laboratory test results were within reference limits... On August 29, the patient became febrile and disoriented, and samples (saliva, throat swab, and CSF) were obtained for rabies testing at the Finnish Food Safety Authority... A reverse transcription–PCR (RT-PCR) result for a saliva sample was positive for rabies virus RNA glycoprotein–RNA polymerase intergenic region ; CSF and throat swab samples showed negative results... These relatives also informed public health authorities in Finland that the dog considered to be the source of rabies was alive and had caused anxiety and accusations in the home town of the deceased... Suspected transmission from a dog still alive 7 weeks after the incident and anxiety among the population prompted a detailed investigation by the National Public Health Institute (Helsinki, Finland) and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM; Manila, the Philippines)... The cabin mate was advised to receive prophylaxis... Attempts to contact the ship and shipping company in the United States were not successful... Investigation in Finland identified 33 healthcare-associated contacts before virus isolation was attempted... The last human rabies case in Finland was diagnosed in 1985, when a bat researcher died after being bitten by bats abroad and in Finland... For imported cases, patient history may be incomplete, but use of RT-PCR for saliva can provide a rapid confirmation of the diagnosis.

Figure 1: Time sequence of rabies case in a 45-year-old man from the Philippines who had been bitten by a dog, June–September 2007. RT-PCR, reverse transcription–PCR; PEP, postexposure prophylaxis.

Mentions:
On August 28, 2007, a 45-year-old man from the Philippines who worked on a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages was admitted to a hospital in Helsinki, Finland, because of difficulty swallowing since August 23 (Figure). He suspected rabies because he had been bitten by a dog, allegedly owned by a neighbor in the Philippines, in June. When he called home on August 27, he found out that the suspected dog was still alive.

Figure 1: Time sequence of rabies case in a 45-year-old man from the Philippines who had been bitten by a dog, June–September 2007. RT-PCR, reverse transcription–PCR; PEP, postexposure prophylaxis.

Mentions:
On August 28, 2007, a 45-year-old man from the Philippines who worked on a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages was admitted to a hospital in Helsinki, Finland, because of difficulty swallowing since August 23 (Figure). He suspected rabies because he had been bitten by a dog, allegedly owned by a neighbor in the Philippines, in June. When he called home on August 27, he found out that the suspected dog was still alive.

He suspected rabies because he had been bitten by a dog, allegedly owned by a neighbor in the Philippines, in June... When he called home on August 27, he found out that the suspected dog was still alive... Results of a physical examination, which included detailed neurologic tests, were unremarkable except for a subfebrile axillary temperature... Basic laboratory test results were within reference limits... On August 29, the patient became febrile and disoriented, and samples (saliva, throat swab, and CSF) were obtained for rabies testing at the Finnish Food Safety Authority... A reverse transcription–PCR (RT-PCR) result for a saliva sample was positive for rabies virus RNA glycoprotein–RNA polymerase intergenic region ; CSF and throat swab samples showed negative results... These relatives also informed public health authorities in Finland that the dog considered to be the source of rabies was alive and had caused anxiety and accusations in the home town of the deceased... Suspected transmission from a dog still alive 7 weeks after the incident and anxiety among the population prompted a detailed investigation by the National Public Health Institute (Helsinki, Finland) and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM; Manila, the Philippines)... The cabin mate was advised to receive prophylaxis... Attempts to contact the ship and shipping company in the United States were not successful... Investigation in Finland identified 33 healthcare-associated contacts before virus isolation was attempted... The last human rabies case in Finland was diagnosed in 1985, when a bat researcher died after being bitten by bats abroad and in Finland... For imported cases, patient history may be incomplete, but use of RT-PCR for saliva can provide a rapid confirmation of the diagnosis.